A Classic Mercedes-Benz 420SEL
 

                     Me with my classic 420SEL, parked at the north end of the Circle on Notre Dame Ave., just south of the statue of Fr.
                     Edward F. Sorin, C.S.C., the University’s founder, and the famous Golden dome of the historic "Main" building.
 

In May 2003, my dear friend, mentor and colleague, Jim Merod, located the classic MB sedan I had been searching for; a sleek, black 560 SEC. His test drive was promising, but, the CarFax report proved that the car in question had lived a rather full life and that the seller was lying about its past. I was bummed.

Then, in Palos Verdes Peninsula (south Los Angeles), California, we found this impeccable 1987 420SEL which had averaged less than 7000 miles per year and literally had been owned by a little old lady; a friend of the Reagan's (yes, Ron and Nancy) no less! After verifying its lineage with CarFax, and checking out its entire maintenance history with the shop where she was serviced for her first life (Pete's AutoHaus of Palos Verdes), the deal was closed.

Jim's daughter picker her up and drove her from P.V. to KB MotorSports in San Marcos, CA, (north of San Diego, near Escondido), where she was refitted and preped for her 2150 mile "maiden" voyage back to the midwest.

I flew from South Bend to San Francisco, met with my friends (and partners in our then new online magazine venture, On Sound and Music.com), then flew down to San Diego to pick up my ride. Joined by long-time best friend Bob Guthrie, we left La Costa at 8:15 a.m. on a Wednesday morning.

We followed Route 15 out of San Diego and stopped for lunch at Belagio's world famous and outrageous buffet in Las Vegas at 12:45 p.m.. Then, after a stop east of Boulder to see the remarkable Hoover dam, having spent about 6 hours in and around Las Vegas, we were on our way in earnest. Near Richfield, Utah we picked up Route 70 through Colorado, and we ended up taking a 5 hour nap pit stop in Glenwood Springs.  In Denver we picked up I-76, then followed Route 80 from Nebraska the rest of the way home, having driven through nine states. We passed from 94 degrees in Las Vegas to 44 degrees at the top of the Rocky Mountains (some 14,800 feet!) just before the descent into Denver. We certainly gave this grand ol' dame a chance to stretch her legs.

I have to say that the stretch of Route 70 from Grand Junction, CO through the Rockies before descending into Denver is the most grand, beautiful country I've EVER seen. Neither words nor photographs can give you any idea just how majestic and awe-inspiring that part of our nation is. 

A telephoto profile from the circle on the East side of the Notre Dame Stadium.
 

Doors open, showing the ENORMOUS back seat and Palomino leather.
 

Looking in from the open sun roof at the "cockpit."
 

Ready to roll... but, what's with the wipers on the headlights? I guess they are for when you go "off roading!"